U.S. Foodservice acquires Great Western Meats of Orlando

May 24, 2011|By Linda Florea, ORLANDO SENTINEL

U.S. Foodservice Inc., one of the nation's largest food distributors, said Monday it has acquired Orlando-based Great Western Meats Inc. and would close the local company's warehouse while adding work to the local meat-cutting plant.

Terms of the deal, which closed Friday, were not disclosed.

Great Western Meats' distribution warehouse is at 1601 S. Atlanta Ave., while the meat-cutting facility is nearby at 438 W. Kaley St. The company, which has been operating in Central Florida for more than 40 years, distributes more than 55,000 products, according to a U.S. Foodservice spokesman.

The warehouse will be closed and its work shifted in July to a recently expanded U.S. Foodservice distribution center in Port Orange, the spokesman said.

The meat-cutting plant will continue to operate, providing meats for U.S. Foodservice customers in Florida under the Stock Yards brand name. The facility will also be renamed Stock Yards-Florida.

The spokesman said a U.S. Foodservice meat-cutting operation in Clearwater will close in June and that work will be transferred to Orlando.